The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-09-16
Y. M. G. ASSOCIATION.

the Methodist and Baptist churches
with many members of their congrega
tons, were present. The exercises
were commenced with an organ solo,
followed by reading of the scripture by
Rev. Mr.. Taylor; prayer by Rev. Mr..
Stein; anthem by choir of ten voices.
E. l.. Grant, President, made a report.
giving history of the organization of
the association and its gratifying re-
suits. He bespoke for it the liberal
support of the community, saying it
would require $1,000 to met the ex-
penses of the ensuing year.
Mr.. Lewis. State Secretary, gave an
interesting address, showing the many
advantages of these associations to the
moral culture of young men, as we'll as
their benefits in a community. He
maintained that it was for the interest
of business men to encourage the adj
vancement of such organizations.
Rev. Mr.. Bray followed by remarks,
commencing the Association to the
cordial support of the churches and
the people generally.
The Secretary, Mr.. Hammond. read
the following report, giving Il full
statement of the affairs of the Associa-
ton during the past year
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton has passed its first year, and year
which we believe is the first of many in
its history, and year which we have
reason to trust is the beginning of a
prosperous and valuable future. Should
the Association accomplish what its
organizers intended, and what other as.
sociations have accomplished, why
should it not be so, and why have we
reason to doubt that we can do what
others under similar circumstances have
done. 1t has been fully demonstrated
that when the Young Mems Christian
Associations have done their legitimate
work in d business-liKe way, they have
been supported. A few of the promi-
nent means used by associations toward
the one end of saving young men are
thes :e providing an attractive place
for them to meet socially in a parlor
which they may call their own, and
where they may feel at home and unre-
strained by any narrow limits of for
mality a gymnasium, provided with
suitable apparatus, such as parallel bars.
single bars, pulley weights, Indian clubs,
dumb bells. etc. F.; room also for games
of quiet nature, such as are interesting
but not harmful reading room sup
piled with the popular daily and weekly
papers and magazines, pictorial publica-
tons, etc. AS to the fact that these
rooms thus supplied are all in the line
of, and do interest young men, we need
not depend at all even upon other asso-
Citations for information. We have de
monstrated it in this our first years
work, as these are just the advantages
we have had and the means we have
employed. Our rooms, four in number,
were occupied nearly one year ago, and
have since been we'll furnished, while
there are many things needed to make
them more attractive and useful as
social rooms yet they are indeed a
mark of credit commendatory to the
enterprise of our Kenosha ladies.
While the first steps in organizing were
taken by the men, yet to the Ladies'
Auxiliary of the Young Mems Christian
Association is due the greater part of
support and efficient work since lis Or
ganization. What has been the result +?
We have $50 members, 100 of them
young men quite number of them
young men without homes in Kenosha !;
number more who haven't the pleasant
est homes imaginable. and still others
who, although having pleasanter circum-
stances at home than these, have, with
these, been led to use the rooms YOU
have so kindly provided and many lde-
pending upon their own testimony,
been kept from places improbable and
harmful. Has it paid, friends? Cost
something, you say. Yes; true. There
are only 100 of the members young
men only few of these have been de-
cidedly benefited by your privileges, and
still fewer who have really been kept
from going astray, but shall we put too
light value upon even very few who
have been thus kept. Is it not your
privilege to feel grateful that at the close
of this your first years work you can
look back and say, though small, some
thing definite, something for founda-
ton for the future, has been accomplish
ed by your efforts. The work of the as
ISOLATION since its organization has con-
sisted in holding on each Sunday after
noon meeting for men only !; the av-
erage attendance for the year has been
IS. These meetings have been in charge
of the devotional committee, who have
in most instances selected young men to
lead. Since January Bible class has
met once week, in charge of the Secre-
tary, which has had an average attend.
ance of IL. This has been profitable
and interesting. Each Sunday morning
also conservation meeting has been
held (since June), with IN average at
tendance of 5. The purpose of this
meeting has been to partially arrange
and plan for the afternoon meeting, as
to taking part in it, and also to get some
truth from Gods word, and pray to-
gether for his guidance and blessing for
the day. Aside from penmanship
class which met twice week during the
winter, this has been the systematic
work undertaken. The young men
have from the first constantly visited
the rooms. During the long evenings
and cooler weather there were from 80
to 60 in the rooms each day-greater
part during the evening, using the gym
nasium, which seemed most attractive :;
also the reading room, and the other
rooms socially. To all interested in this
work / would say that if the appre.
citation by the young men of your priv
leges extended lends to you any encour-
agement you have abundant reason to
feel that your work has not been in vain.
AS to finances for the year. The full
subscribed is 81, 224.5O. of
this 81 ,047.50 has been paid still due,
sly. The expenses for the year, in
Guiding furnishing and including $50. %
by the ladies, has been ST.
l64.61. We have bills unpaid sa6.88,
and sufficient money at command to
meet them. So we rejoice, friends, that
we came not with bowed heads and our
shoulders burdened with a debt to be |